Cumann na mBan: During the Easter Rising Dylan Savoie Junior Division Individual Documentary Process Paper: 500 words Once I learned about National History Day, I immediately wanted to do something related to my Irish heritage seeing as my mother was born in Ireland. In my research, I found the Easter Rising. Now that I had narrowed my selection down, I began to dig deeper, and I came across an Irish women's group, Cumann na mBan, that helped greatly in the Rising but has gone largely unnoticed in history. I tried to have a wide range of research. First, I began by searching for a video about Cumann na mBan. I had found an RTE documentary on the Easter Rising of 1916. It was in that documentary that I came across Fr. Oliver Rafferty, a professor at Boston College. I was able to obtain his email address, contact him, and we had a phone interview. I searched websites and books at my local and Boston Public Library, taking notes and citing them in Noodletools as I went. The Burns Library at Boston College has the most extensive Irish History collection outside of Ireland, so in January, I went there too and was able to obtain many primary sources. In February, I went to Boston College and interviewed Fr. Rafferty in person. I was able to talk with him and combine what I had learned in my research to understand my topic in more depth than I had before. After I collected my research, I decided that my project would be best represented in the form of a documentary. I began by creating my script and recorded it using GarageBand on my computer. After editing my writing, I put it into iMovie and built my images around what my script was saying. To finish it off, I chose an Irish tune and edited it for the perfect effect. After adjusting the volume, it was complete. I think that I was successful in working the "Breaking Barriers" theme into my History Day project. Cumann na mBan members were instrumental in the Rising. They raised money to purchase arms, and it was them that kept fueling the fire while the men were all in prison. The struggles that women in Ireland and around the world faced at this time was just not right, and I wanted to show that to my viewers. Women were viewed as homemakers and were not involved with their countries' struggles and affairs. That is until Cumann na mBan was created. Cumann na mBan gave Irish women the chance to be a part of a revolutionary movement, and be involved with their country. In fact, the first woman ever elected to Irish parliament was a member of Cumann na mBan. What really made me want to show the public about these women was when I learned that Elizabeth O'Farrell, who helped surrender to the British, was cut out of the famous photo- showing only Patrick Pearse beside her. These women put aside their traditional roles and stood up for what they believed. They need to be remembered. Annotated Bibliography Primary Sources The Angel of Freedom Postcard. 1913. Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of Women in Revolutionary ​ Ireland, John J. Burns Library, Boston College, box 4, folder 62. The Angel of Freedom postcard accurately describes how women were viewed at this time and the fact that they had no vote. John Redmond who this cartoon shows was the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party and did not like suffragists. Redmond refused to commit his party to the cause of women's suffrage. It fits into my documentary nicely adding to what was considered the role of women in Ireland during the early 1900's and the liberties that they just didn't have. A Call to Irishwomen, Object and Constitution, Box 3, Folder 12, Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of ​ Women in Revolutionary Ireland, MS.2016.016, John J. Burns Library, Boston College, Boston. I found this primary source at the Boston College library. It is a call to all the women of Ireland that they must fight for Ireland at all costs. It speaks to the feeling of the time. "Irishwomen! You must choose Death itself, rather than suffer this National Disgrace!" It fit with my documentary because I was able to show how the Irish women were calling for help to stand up for their country. Cartoons & Sketches from the Easter Rising. Cartoons & sketches from the Easter Rising, The Archives of ​ ​ Villanova University, RTE, ​ www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/galleries/galleries/cartoons-sketches-from-the-easter-rising. Accessed 6 Feb. 2020. This cartoon represented the struggles for freedom that Ireland faced. It depicts a woman who has freedom for Ireland written on her shirt. She is being hung by a man and there is a boy shaking his fist angrily at the man. Christmas Card, undated, Box 3, Folder 7, Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of Women in Revolutionary ​ Ireland, MS.2016.016, John J. Burns Library, Boston College, Boston. I wanted to use this primary source at the end of my documentary. It's a Christmas card with a Cumann na mBan member holding a rifle and a bandolier. Constance Markievicz. Irish Examiner, 28 Dec. 2018, ​ ​ ​ www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/features/the-madame-rebel-the-colourful-life-and- times-of-constance-markievicz-894330.html. Accessed 15 Feb. 2020. Constance Markievicz was a very important rebel during the Irish revolution and she helped greatly during the Easter Rising. She not only was very important in the gathering of money for the independence movement, but she was also a sniper. On the first day of the Rising she even shot and killed a police officer at St. Steven's Green. When she finally was arrested it was said that she kissed her revolver before handing it over to the British. This image is useful in the important people's’ section of my documentary. It shows Constance Markievicz examining her colt revolver and wearing the Cumann na mBan uniform. Countess Markievicz. May 1916. Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of Women in Revolutionary Ireland, ​ John J. Burns Library, Boston, box 4, folder 32. This primary source shows Countess Markievicz as a wealthy Anglo-Irish. She was married to a prince and could have just watched the fighting in her home country but she chose to fight instead. Countess Markievicz in Uniform. BBC Wars and Conflict, 1916 Easter Rising, Profiles, 24 Sept. 2014, ​ ​ ​ www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/easterrising/profiles/po13.shtml. Accessed 20 Jan. 2020. This image of Constance Markievicz in the Cumann na mBan uniform holding her revolver. The members were honor-bound to use Irish materials to make their uniforms. Countess Markievicz Photograph, box 4, folder 37, Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of Women in ​ Revolutionary Ireland, MS.2016.016, John Burns Library, Boston College, Boston. Countess Markievicz, as a founding member of Cumann na mBan, was very active in the Easter Rising. I chose this original photograph because it shows her with her revolver that she most famously kissed before handing it over to the British officer. Cuman na mban Photo inc. incl. Constance Markievicz. Dublincity.ie, ​ ​ ​ www.dublincity.ie/image/libraries/sc037-members-cumann-na-mban-incl-constance-markievicz-f ar-right. Accessed 2 Feb. 2020. This is a photo of nationalist women along with Constance Markievicz who were members of Cumann na mBan. They had made the decision that they were going to fight for independence. The feminists believed that an Independent Ireland would be the only way to gain equality. Cumann na mBan. Belfast Branch constitution. Box 3, Folder 5, Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of ​ Women in Revolutionary Ireland, MS.2016.016, John J. Burns Library, Boston College, Boston. This primary source was Cumann na mBan's constitution that listed their objectives and their constitution. "Cumann na mBan." Loretta Clarke Murray Collection of Women in Revolutionary Ireland, John J. Burns Library, Boston, Box 4, Folder 3k. Typescript. This primary source is a letter that was sent to each branch of Cumann na mBan. It states that there must be drill work for 15 minutes, first aid for one hour, and political work for one hour. Cumann na mBan1. The Irish War, theirishwar.com/organizations/cumann-na-mban/. Accessed 2 Feb. ​ ​ ​ 2020. This image is useful because it shows women at the time period of the revolution. Forty Cumann na mBan members took part in the Rising, fighting alongside the Irish Volunteers. This photo shows members of Cumann na mBan marching. Cumann na mBan Membership Roles. Stair na hÉireann | History of Ireland, ​ ​ ​ stairnaheireann.net/2016/04/02/1914-cumann-na-mban-founded-at-wynns-hotel-dublin/. Accessed 4 Mar. 2020. This image shows Cumann na mBan members marching in Uniform. While this picture exists in its normal state I was able to find the same image but it has an Irish flag in the background. I thought that this would be a good way to end my documentary. Cumann na mBan Uniform. Irish Volunteers, ​ ​ ​ irishvolunteers.org/cumann-na-mban-uniform/cumann-na-mban-uniform-3/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2020. To show what the women of Cumann na mBan would have worn. The Cumann na mBan members had green uniforms and they were honor-bound to use Irish materials from their home country to make them. They were mainly homemade, but they all had a universal Cumann na mBan pin on their shirt and hat. They were made fun of and called grasshoppers by the wives of the British soldiers, but they ignored these statements and continued to fight for their country.